Dinner doesn't get simpler or more elegant than this pan-roasted chicken. To make it, a whole chicken is cut into eight pieces, then roasted with grapes, garlic cloves, and sprigs of rosemary to yield crispy-skinned chicken in a schmaltzy pan sauce that begs for a crusty piece of bread.
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
4 teaspoons kosher salt
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium bunch red seedless grapes (about 2 cups), divided into small clusters
1 large garlic head, separated and cloves peeled (15 to 20 cloves)
1 (1/2-ounce) bunch fresh rosemary
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F. Season chicken pieces with salt. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large oven-proof skillet over high. Add chicken pieces, skin sides down, and cook undisturbed until skin is browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and transfer chicken to a plate. Add grapes, garlic cloves, and rosemary to skillet, stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Return chicken pieces to skillet, skin sides up, nestling between and atop grapes. Drizzle with remaining oil.
Roast in pre-heated oven until a meat thermometer inserted in chicken breast registers 155°F, 22 to 25 minutes. Let chicken rest 10 minutes; sprinkle with black pepper.
